


Chasing That Booty

by Nothing_You_Can_Prove



Series: The Chasefield Chapters [2]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Bullying, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Jealousy, NSFW, Romance, Sexual Content, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, alt Max, chasefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-25 19:08:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6206983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothing_You_Can_Prove/pseuds/Nothing_You_Can_Prove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Victoria Chase has it all... except the one person who gets under her skin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Respect

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, welcome to the fic. I've done a bit of revamping to the original work, including various fixes and splitting the first chapter, which was a one-shot originally, into three (because damn was it long).
> 
> Here's the anon prompt I got on Tumblr: "Chasefield prompt (if you're still accepting these): How about an Alt!Max and the original Victoria fanfic? I think that Alt!Max's pragmatic and confident personality would push Vic's button even more than the Original Max."
> 
> So a few points about the story before we start: (this is kind of a mixture of the two universes we know) - No time travel, Chloe doesn't die every five seconds, William didn't die (I think a large reason as to why Max is more confident in the alt universe), Chloe and Max kept in touch during Seattle time, Rachel moved to LA to try and make it as a model, Chloe stayed in Arcadia and has a long distance relationship with her and there's no dark room stuff.
> 
> It starts off from when Victoria blocks Max from entering the dorm in ep 1. It won't really be following canon after this. I also switched around the classroom scene and the blocking dorm scene from ep 1.
> 
> Also, please note that there will be mature content in upcoming chapters. Don't say that I didn't warn you!

**Chapter One: Respect**

**Victoria's POV – Outside the Prescott Dorm Building**

Taylor, Courtney and I are sat outside the dorm on the step. As we sit there, I take the chance to survey my domain. That weirdo Samuel potters around with a broom, Zach and Logan are tossing a football around and Kate is sat on a bench to our right. _Maybe I could go torment her, but I can't be bothered. Besides, she gets that I'm the Queen of this dump._

Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone. Someone who needs reminding of this fact more than Kate does. She has mid-length brown hair, freckles, and piercing blue eyes… Maxine Caulfield. Max hasn't been here very long, but I can already tell she's going to be the biggest danger to my dominance here. She just doesn't seem threatened by my behavior, not like Kate or the others. It only takes one person to rebel before it all comes crashing down. She actually reminds me a lot of Rachel in that aspect. Both of them push and challenge me. I thought with Rachel gone, I would finally be able to relax, but now Max is here. _She needs to learn to respect me._

I see her making a beeline for us, or more accurately the stairs leading to the dorm rooms. Instead of paying her any attention, I continue talking to Taylor and Courtney, totally disregarding her. When she approaches us, we don't move. She stops, rolls her eyes and takes out one of her earbuds, which is blaring out some indie crap. She motions for us to move out of the way with her hand. "Hey, move it."

 _How dare she take that tone with me!_ "Um… excuse you?"

She repeats herself more confidently this time, "I said move it. What is so hard to understand? I need to get to my room and you're in the way. Why you would sit here is beyond me. There are these wonderful things called benches where you can park your ass. Look there is even some over there." At this point, she points over to one of the empty benches to demonstrate.

 _Most people would have backed off, but not her. There is no way I am letting her talk to me like that._ Not standing for this behavior, I get up and draw myself to my fullest height. I tower over Max, not that she seems intimidated by it at all, even though I must be a good four inches taller than her. I look down at her with as much contempt as I can muster. "Let me tell you something that you would do well to remember if you want to survive in this place, Lamefield. No-one tells me what to do. You should be grateful to even be in my presence."

Max gives me an unimpressed and bored look, one that sets my teeth on edge. "Yeah right. Look, I have a ton of crap to do today and you are not making this easier."

Eager to prove my point, I sit back down where I was before on the steps and absentmindedly inspecting my nails. Taylor and Courtney sit either side of me as backup, "Well, we ain't moving. So, why don't you go fuck yourselfie?" They snicker at my remark and go back to ignoring Max like the mindless yes-men they are. _That'll teach her._

I hear an exasperated sigh and movement. "I don't have time for this."

Just in time, I glance up to see Max stepping over me. "What the fuck?"

Despite my protests, she doesn't even look back once. Instead, she opens the door to the dorm and continues on into the building without hesitation. I sit there stunned for a moment at her action. _She is not getting away with this. No-one ignores a Chase. No-one._ I quickly get up and follow after her. She walks up the stairs to the girl's dorm, focused only on the path ahead of her. "Lamefield, get your hipster ass back here right now."

She just keeps walking, ignoring me. In fact, she has the nerve to put her ear bud back in. I pick up my pace, storming off after her. She pushes the door open at the top of the stairs, letting it go when she's through. It almost hits me in the face. I burst through to see Max entering her room at the end of the corridor. She shuts the door behind her. _Don't think that just because you're in there that you can escape._

The doors here don't have locks, which can be a real pain sometimes. For now, it works in my favor. I place my hand on her door handle and open it. Her room is a complete mess. Papers and books cover the floor, used glasses and mugs are dotted around and her bed isn't made up. The walls are covered with post-it notes, posters, mementos and polaroids.

When she hears the door creak open, she glares back at me. "Don't just barge into my room like that. Who do you think you are?"

I scowl at her, crossing my arms defiantly. "I'm Victoria fucking Chase."

"Good for you. Now, get out of my room." With that, she turns her back on me. _Me,_ Victoria Chase of all people.

"No fucking way."

Max sits down at her desk and opens up her laptop. She props her head on her hand, the fingers of her free hand drumming on the desk impatiently, waiting for it to load up. When she speaks her eyes are focused on the now loading screen. "Someone seems tense. Maybe you should go give Logan or Zach a visit. I'm sure they'd be happy to help you release some of that rage."

I am completely gob-smacked by her words. Not even Rachel dares to speak to me like this. "Are you suggesting what I think you are?" _I wouldn't let those stupid jocks touch me with a ten-foot barge pole._

She starts to type furiously on her computer's keyboard, not looking at me. Her voice is straining to remain calm, "Look, to be honest, I don't give a shit what you do with your life. You can fuck whoever you like and I _really_ couldn't care less. If you think that what you do has any effect on me, then you are sadly mistaken. The whole world doesn't revolve around you. I have my own problems and no time to deal your bullshit." She turns back, her cold and steely blue eyes meeting mine, almost snarling the next sentence. "So take a hint and fuck off."

 _Oh no, this is not how this is going down._ I decide to hold my ground, too deep to back down now. "Don't you fucking dare act like your problems are bigger than mine."

She scoffs at my assumption, "I never said that. I said that I have problems too and I don't need anyone shoving their own on me." Her voice is not as aggressive as before. She just sounds tired and defeated. "So, please. Just leave me to mine." Her words hit me and pin me to the spot. No-one has ever really reacted like this to me. Usually, they just kind of recoil and take it, but Max doesn't. After a few seconds, she glances back to see if I have gone. When she sees me, she sighs. "Don't make me ask twice. Just leave me alone."

My legs lead me outside before I fully realize what is going on, her words reverberating around in my mind. _"If you think that what you do has any effect on me, then you are sadly mistaken."_ For some reason, that makes me really mad.

_Well, Max Caulfield, we'll see about that._

* * *

**Next day – Photography Classroom**

I sit there, listening to Mr. Jefferson with rapt attention. Unable to resist the urge, I glance over to see what Max is doing and find her texting, not even bothering to hide the fact. _How can she just so blatantly not listen?_

A loud cough fills the air. "Max, could you please tell us the name of the process that gave birth to the first self-portraits?"

I am ready to jump in with the answer as per usual, but Max lifts her head and brushes her fringe out of her eyes. She places her phone down on the table and replies with ease and confidence, a bored expression on her face. "The Daguerreian Process. Invented by a French painter named Louis Daguerre. Around 1830."

Mr. Jefferson seems a bit shocked that Max was able to answer. He was obviously ready to lecture her. After this brief moment of surprise, he composes himself and adjusts his glasses, "Hmm, well I find it impressive how you can pay attention and still text, but somehow you've managed it. I can't really fault you there. However, if you could indulge me and listen for a few minutes longer, that would be much appreciated."

With a sigh, Max places her phone back on the table and brings her paper pad towards her. Seeming satisfied, Mr. Jefferson continues the lecture. She scribbles away, but I doubt she is making notes from the way she's moving the pen across the page. She is most likely doodling. _I wonder what she's drawing._ The bell rings a few moments later to signal the end of class. I start to pack up, eager to put my plan into action. _Right, Max. You think that what I do doesn't affect you, well that's about to change. I'll have you eating out of the palm of my hand soon enough. You won't be able to function without me. I'll show you._

I look up just in time to see Max walk over to where Kate is sat, her face softening as she approaches. I can just about make out what they are saying and hear how her voice becomes gentler as she speaks. "Hey Kate, how's it going?"

Kate turns to her and beams. "Oh, Max. I'm doing great. Thank you for asking. I hope you're ready for our tea session on Wednesday."

With this reminder, Max gives her the dorkiest grin I have ever seen, "You bet. I wouldn't miss it." The way she smiles at Kate makes me feel weird and annoyed. "Anyway, I'll catch you later and we can have a proper chat."

"Remember it's at six. I know how forgetful you are," Kate reminds her with a knowing smile.

Suddenly Max starts rummaging around in her bag. She produces a pen and writes it on the back of her hand, showing the scribbled reminder to Kate. "Now I can't forget."

Kate giggles at her. "Max, you are such a dork. Don't wash your hands before then."

Max waves goodbye and makes her way out of the door, with Kate smiling as she leaves. Her gaze wanders over to me. I glare at her angrily as I storm out of the room, which causes her to recoil. Not giving her a second thought, I peer down the corridor but can't see Max. _She can't have gotten that far. Damn it._

It's then that I notice Taylor leaning against the wall just opposite the classroom door. She is probably waiting for me. When she sees me, she waves me over. Before she has the chance to say anything, I cut in. "Taylor, have you seen Max?"

She raises an eyebrow questioningly and motions down the corridor with her head. "Yes, she went that way. Why?"

Not even registering the question, I begin to run off, leaving a confused Taylor behind. "I'll tell you later."

With no time to lose, I make my way down the corridor, pushing past anyone who gets in my way. A few groan disgruntledly at me as I hit into them, others say things, but I don't pay attention to what they say exactly. I get to the main corridor and scan the area, but still can't find her. _She might have left for the dorm, but maybe she went to the bathroom…_ I opt to check there, just in case. Before entering the bathroom, I straighten myself out. Once inside, I look around the dismal room. Shower stalls sit to my left, none of them currently in use. Posters cover a noticeboard at the back wall, all water damaged and covered in graffiti. To my right are some sinks and mirrors. Max stands at the middle one, throwing cold water over her face.

I assume my most commanding posture and strut over to her. "What's up with you and church girl?"

Max sighs, turning off the tap, and glowers at me. "That is none of your damn business, Chase."

"I'm making it my business." I place a hand on my hip, not ready to back down anytime soon.

Instead of answering straight away, Max wipes the excess water from her face before looking over to me, "Seriously, what the hell is your problem?" Before I have the chance to respond, she shakes her head. "You know what? I really don't care." Suddenly, she pushes past me towards the door. When she reaches the door, she hesitates and looks back over her shoulder. "Oh, and by the way, she's called Kate. At least have the decency to use her name. Or is that what we're doing now? Referring to people by stereotypes. What does that make you? The Alpha Bitch?" With that, she exits.

Despite the brashness of this exchange, I view this as a success in a way. I've finally gotten under her skin. She's starting to question my motivations and it's obviously getting to her. It won't be long before I'm all she can think and talk about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there is the first chapter. I think this should be an interesting one to write and hopefully read. I mean, antagonistic relationships are a fanfic staple. See you next time.


	2. Under My Skin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, how's it going? Presumably, you enjoyed the first chapter if you're here, so that's awesome. I hope you enjoy this one as much as the last. For those of you who have already read this as a one-shot, not much will have changed until after chapter 3. That's where all the brand new content will be. You may want a refresher, though.

**Chapter Two: Under My Skin**

**Max's POV – Blackwell Grounds**

_What the hell is up with her?_ I angrily take out my phone as I make my way to the bus, seriously needing a chat with Chloe. She always knows what to do and say to make me feel better.

**Max: Chloe. I need your advice**

**Chloe: What's up, super Max?**

**Max: I'll tell you when I get there. Just about to catch the bus**

**Chloe: Ok, I'll be waiting for the juicy gossip**

Just as I finish my text, I reach the bus stop and wait around for a few moments. The bus pulls up and I get on it. I sit down in the third row, taking my I-pod out of my bag and leaning my head against the cold glass of the window. The outside world rushes past me as the bus pulls away. _Jeez, I really don't get what is wrong with Victoria. I mean, she's smart and pretty, so why does she have to be a complete bitch about everything?_ I sigh deeply, not wanting to play her game. _No, Max. You are not going to give her the satisfaction of letting her bullshit affect you._

Suddenly, I realize that we are nearly at the stop. I was so zoned out that I had completely blanked out the journey. When the bus finally stops, I get off and make my way over to Chloe's house. It's a journey I know all too well from my childhood. Not much has changed, except everything looks more run down. Arcadia really has become a ghost town.

Soon enough, Chloe's house comes into view. The exterior is blue now and it's looking pretty good. I go up to the door and knock confidently. Footsteps shuffle behind the door and keys jangle as they are turned in the lock. The door opens and a blonde man comes into view. When his eye meet mine, he beams at me broadly, "Max, fancy seeing you here." He holds out his arms as far as the hallway will allow him. "Come on, don't leave me hanging. I need a Caulfield hug." I roll my eyes but oblige anyway as William bear hugs me.

"Dad quit crushing my friends." He lets go and turns around to the voice. Chloe stands there behind us leaning against the wall, a smug grin on her face.

William smiles only widens, "Well if Max wasn't so crushable then I would find it easier." He goes up to Chloe and ruffles her faded blue hair. She bats away his hand lazily, dodging out of the way of his grasps. "I'll leave you two to it. Don't cause too much trouble." As promised, he goes off into the kitchen.

Chloe stands there, her hands shoved in her pockets, "Well, what are we waiting for?" She motions her head to upstairs and begins to make her way up them. I follow close behind her, taking in the familiar sight. We turn right at the top of the stairs into her room. It's as messy as I remember, nothing changes. "Feel free to take a seat on the bed. I'll be over in a sec."

She goes over to a drawer and opens it, mumbling a few choice words as she rummages around. After a few minutes, she appears to have found what she was looking for, turning round with a triumphant grin. She holds a clear plastic bag in her hand for me to see before taking a running jump towards the bed, almost catapulting me off it. "Look at what I got."

Somehow, I manage to remain steady without making a complete idiot out of myself. "Chloe, cool it off."

"But Maaaax, it's been ages since we've just chilled out like this," she whines at me as she opens the bag and takes out the joint, playfully nudging my shoulder. "You know you want to."

_I guess it couldn't hurt._ "Ok, but only because you're literally begging me."

Chloe grins triumphantly and lights the joint. As she does so, she glances up at me with an expectant look. "Well, do you think you could crack a window open?"

Sighing at her ordering, I get up and open her window. She takes a deep puff, letting it out slowly. The smoke billows around her. She grabs a metal box from underneath her bed and takes out a CD. Once retrieved, she places it in the Hi-Fi near the door. The gentle strum of a guitar fills the air and a husky gentle voice coming from the speakers. I recognize the song almost immediately.

' _ **I know that it is freezing, but I think we have to walk…'**_

She lays back on her bed and pats the space beside her. I join her and she passes the joint my way, which I take. We lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling and smoking. We do this for around five minutes or so in silence before Chloe finally speaks up. Her body is relaxed, her hands resting behind her head. "So Max, what had you so stressed earlier?"

I place my hands on my stomach, letting out a deep breath. "Victoria has been acting so fucking weird."

Chloe's foot nudges against mine lightly, coaxing more information out of me. "How so?"

_Where do I start?_ "Well, she keeps going out of her way to piss me off, for one."

After taking another puff, she nods sympathetically. "Nothing new there."

_I'm not so sure._ I shrug, feeling angry all over again just thinking about her. "Yeah, except it's a million times worse than usual."

"What else?"

_She's just really trying to test me, at least that's what it seems like._ "I dunno, she just seems to be pushing me at every opportunity, you know?"

Chloe is quiet for a few moments, contemplating what I've told her. An impish grin suddenly forms on her face, her tone teasing. "Sounds to me like the Queen of Blackwell might have a little crush on you."

I playfully punch her arm, knowing that this suggestion is totally ridiculous. "You're high."

"So are you," she scoffs.

I go to protest, but I don't really have anything to say to this. Reluctantly, I realize that I have to agree with her point and Chloe knows it too. I can see it from the amused glint in her eyes. _She does enjoy watching me squirm._ "Good point. Seriously, though, I don't think that's it."

My punk friend shifts slightly on the bed. "Why not?"

_Yeah right. Like Victoria Chase would go for someone like me. What a joke._ "Well, I doubt I am the Queen Bitch's type."

Chloe shakes her head knowingly. "Oh come on, you don't give yourself enough credit. Anybody would be nuts not to find you hot."

I give her a skeptical look, wondering if this is just a setup for some bad pun or sarcastic comment. "Uh-huh."

She offers me a lop-sided grin; one I'm used to seeing by now. "Hell, I'd even probably do you right here and now… if I wasn't already taken."

"Oh, my poor heart bleeds." I clutch at my chest melodramatically. _The old me would have blushed so hard at that. Not anymore, though…_

"Knock it off, Caulfield," Chloe shakes her head at my words, suppressing a smile. "I'm trying to have a semi-serious heart to heart here and you're sabotaging it."

I roll my eyes at her playfully. "Oh yes, because being high is the best time to be having this kind of conversation."

Her finger waggles dismissively as she grins mischievously. "Hey, it's the only time I can really have them. Just don't throw that possibility out. You never know, you could get some of that Chase booty."

"Ugh, you are terrible."

Chloe chuckles heartily, mostly because she's high as a kite right now. "I wouldn't be so ready to shoot down the option. You probably won't get much better than Victoria looks wise… apart from maybe Kate. Have to admit she is hella cute."

As much as I might not want to admit it, the thought has crossed my mind once or twice. I highly doubt Kate would go for the idea, though and I don't want to make things uncomfortable between us. Our friendship means too much to me. With this rather depressing revelation, I move to a more comfortable position. "Yeah, something tells me I won't get very far there. Besides, Kate's a good friend and I don't want to fuck that up. Victoria, on the other hand, is about as far away from a friend as you can get. I guess it doesn't really matter if that relationship goes sour, well more so than it already is. What more can she do to me than she already does?"

"Plenty of things," Chloe grins at me, clearly implying all manner of sexual things. "What Victoria lacks in personality she certainly makes up for in… other areas. I can see you thinking about it already."

_I can't deny that Victoria is pretty hot._ There is no way I would give Chloe the satisfaction of showing it, however. I look at her innocently, waving away her accusations. "Who, me? Nah."

She scoffs, not buying my bullshit for even a second. "That innocent look doesn't fool me, Caulfield. I know you too well."

_Chloe is like a sister to me. Heck, at this point we may as well be the same person, our minds are so in sync._ "Ok, maybe you got me."

She places the joint in an ashtray next to her bed, "I'm not trying to back you into a corner or anything. What I'm saying is that school can get stressful and you know, there's no shame in taking advantage of certain… opportunities as they arise. Let's be real, you could do way worse." Chloe really doesn't have a censor, then again that's part of her charm. Even though I know she's probably trying to mess with me, she does have a point. For all her deflective humor, she does actually give pretty good advice when she wants to.

"I guess you're right. It's not like I'd even be against it as such if she offered. She's probably too proud for that, though."

After putting the smoldering embers of the joint out, she scratches her head. "Yeah, I can't imagine her begging… although, you never know."

_Now that would be a sight to behold…_ My mind begins to race, imagining Victoria on her knees, desperate whimpering passing from her lips, her brown eyes pleading… I shake my head rapidly, trying to get rid of these thoughts. It's kind of hard doing it, to be honest. "Oh man. I am too high for this. I need to sleep for like three days solid."

Chloe shuffles slightly on the bed. "Crash here for the night. Tell you what, because I'm such a good friend, I'll take you back tomorrow."

I turn my head to her. "You sure?"

She nods firmly. "Yep, I am."

_I have a feeling Chloe is not just doing this out of the kindness of her heart._ "Obviously there is no ulterior motive to this random act of kindness, right?"

An expression of mock hurt crosses her features. "Perish the thought, my dear Max. It's not like I'm hella curious as to observe Victoria's behavior first hand."

This completely obvious motive makes me smile. "That's what I thought."

* * *

**Next day - Victoria's POV – Victoria's Room**

I lay on my bed, aimlessly flicking through one of my many magazines, however, I'm finding it hard to concentrate. Irritated, I place the magazine over my face. _What is wrong with me? Why am I even asking this? I know what's wrong. Max Caulfield is what's wrong._ Her stupid freckled face comes into mind and I throw the magazine on the floor in frustration. With this brief moment of anger out of the way I sigh, gathering my thoughts. _I need to up my game. Sure, I've made some progress, but it's not good enough. It seems that Max isn't going to come to me yet, so for now, I'll have to go to her._

In a moment of decisiveness, I get up from my bed and go over to my door. I enter the corridor, checking to make sure no-one sees me. Max's door is almost opposite mine, so it's not that hard to keep secret. As I approach her room I suddenly feel nervous. _I don't know why I'm even considering doing this. What am I even going to say to her?_ I shake my head, lightly slapping my cheeks. _Get it together Victoria. You are a Chase. A Chase does not get nervous._

After taking a deep breath, I confidently knock on her door. Soon, I hear faint shuffling and a familiar voice growls through the wooden door. "One minute."

I hear muffled voices behind the door and footsteps. The door opens and Max stands there. It appears that she has just woken up if her bleary, slightly bloodshot blue eyes and messy hair are anything to go by. She still manages to scowl when she sees me despite her obvious exhaustion. "What do you want?"

Just as I am about to speak, I hear another voice from the room. "Who is it, Max?"

That's a voice I know well. Chloe Price. "What is _**she**_ doing here?"

Max shakes her head at me, "She's my friend. Not that you would get that concept. Besides, it's not like I need your permission to hang out with people." _One day, Max Caulfield. I swear…_ She rests herself against her door frame lethargically, waiting for me to say my piece. Sleepily, she rubs her face with her hand. "Well? Hurry up, I've got a killer headache and I want to get back to sleep."

I take a deep breath as I gather my thoughts. "I want to talk."

"That's what we're doing now, right?" She gives me an uninterested look, one that gets my blood boiling.

Her resistance causes me to grit my teeth slightly. She is not making this easy for me. "In _private_."

Max closes her eyes for a moment, then turns back into the room. "I'll be back soon, Chloe. Try not to blow my room up while I'm gone."

A mischievous voice fills the air. "I can't make any promises."

As soon as she's finished closing the door, I grab her arm and drag her along the corridor. Max pulls her arm away from me and instead walks beside me. "Where are we going?"

"Outside," I reply curtly as I lead her to a secluded spot on the school grounds, away from prying eyes. _I'm surprised she's going along with this, to be honest._

When we get there, she leans against the wall near us, her foot tapping impatiently on the ground. "Ok, now what?" Not knowing what to say, I just stand there. She stares at me, waiting for me to say something. _I should have planned this better. I could just say a snide remark, but that won't drastically change anything._ While I'm deliberating what to say, I hear a deep sigh, "What do you want from me, huh? What? Why do you keep coming up to me? If you hate me so much, why not just ignore me?" When I don't provide an answer to this question, Max throws up her hands in frustration. "What? No answers? Figures." Exasperated by my maintained silence, she turns to walk away.

_I don't want her to go…_ My voice comes out less confident than I had hoped. "I don't want you to ignore me."

She stops and turns back, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

_Come on, Victoria. Get your shit together._ For a while, I just stand there dazed. "You said before that I didn't have an effect on you at all. You don't seem to be threatened by me and I don't get why."

Max scoffs and rubs her temples. "Oh dog, is that why you've been trying to push me?"

Anger begins to pulsate through my veins. It threatens to consume me as my voice echoes around us. "I don't know, ok?!" _I really don't know what I want._

It's Max's turn to be angry now. Her face contorts into one of annoyance, her brows slightly furrowed, "What is it you want from me, huh? I mean, do you want me to fear you? Do you want me to hate you? Do you… do you want me to fuck you?" Her words hang in the air between us as she runs her fingers tiredly through her hair. "I don't know. You're sending a lot of mixed vibes here."

I clench my fists. "I just fucking told you, I don't know what I want."

"Well, when you've figured it out, then you can come back and tell me," Max sighs before turning on her heel and leaving. I watch her as she paces away from me with interest.

_Well, I suppose this is a good sign for my plan. She is willing to entertain my whims, which is a start. Soon she won't be able to resist obeying me._

* * *

**Max's POV – Max's Room**

I open the door to my room and see Chloe sprawled out on my bed. As my door creaks open, she lifts her head up. "So, what did she want?"

Still trying to work out what just happened I walk over and flop down on my bed, my hand over my eyes. "Man, I don't know. She doesn't know herself."

Chloe props her head on her hand and stares at me. "I'm sure she'll figure it out soon. Just go with the flow and do what's best for you, ok?"

I lift my hand from my eyes and offer her a small smile. "Yeah. I'm just wiped and I need a mental enema after that convo."

She nods sympathetically. "I bet. Let's get some more rest."

Despite my best attempts, I don't manage to get back to sleep… all thanks to Victoria Chase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here signals the end of chapter 2. What do Victoria and Max both want exactly? Well, stay tuned to find out in the upcoming chapters.


	3. Longing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello one and all, I hope you are well. So, this is the last part of revised content I have to share. Any chapter after this will be new and juicy content.

**Chapter Three: Longing**

**A few days later - Victoria's POV – Victoria's Room**

Max has been on my mind constantly for the past few days. Her words resound in my head and her stupid face burnt into my mind. _"Well, when you've figured it out, then come back and tell me."_

"Fuck her," I mumble angrily into my pillow. No-one has ever made me feel this way before, so frustrated. I hug my pillow tight and feel like crying, hating being powerless like this. With my mind suddenly made up, I decisively throw my pillow to the floor and glance at the time, **1:30 am.** _I wonder if she's still up. Well, I'll make sure she is._

With renewed determination, I quickly jump up out of bed. Before I go out, I debate changing. Currently, I'm wearing a plain pajama shirt and shorts. It's definitely not the most enticing outfit ever. Instead of leaving straight away, I walk over to my drawer and open it. I dig around and pull out some of my lacier underwear sets. This particular pair is red with black lace. _It couldn't hurt. This is just to get her totally dependent on me, though. Nothing else._

Before I leave, I quickly put the underwear on and grab a dressing gown from one of my drawers to cover myself up. As I go to exit the room, I take a quick look in the mirror and sort out my short blonde hair. _Right, so you do this, then she'll be completely smitten by you and need you. Then you can have complete control over her and will be in charge again. You will make her eat her words._

I proceed to exit my room and walk over to Max's dorm. After taking a deep breath I knock confidently. No answer. I knock again impatiently. Either she's asleep or she has headphones. Taking a gamble, I open the door a crack and peer in. Max is sat at her desk and, as I suspected, has her headphones in. _I can have a little fun with her._

Being careful not to make a sound, I step inside and sneak over to her. When close enough, I tap her on the shoulder, which causes her to jump. She spins around to face me, "Jesus Christ, Victoria." I smirk smugly at her as she takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. Once composed again, she looks at me curiously. "So, I guess you've finally figured out what you want, huh?"

I casually move my dressing gown aside, revealing part of the lacy underwear. "I suppose you could say that, yes."

Max glances down over my figure briefly and I can see her swallow. In one swift motion, she turns back to her laptop and shuts it down. "Someone did come prepared." _If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right. I want to give her an image she won't ever forget._ Once she shuts the lid of her laptop she stands up to face me, her piercing blue eyes staring into mine. "I'm still not one hundred percent sure what you are here for." She smiles tauntingly at me, knowing full well why I'm here.

I grab onto Max's collar and kiss her roughly. She kisses me just as roughly back. As we step back slowly, Max lifts her arms above her head and I help her out of her t-shirt. I reach down and undo the zipper of her jeans. When the zipper is down, Max wiggles out and let them fall to the floor. She steps out of them and presses herself into me. Not wasting any time, she brushes the thin dressing gown off of my shoulders. As she does this, my legs hit her bed. She pulls away and pushes me down, quickly getting on top and straddling me. Her eyes run over my body, taking in my red lacy underwear.

When she's had a good look, she offers me a lop-sided grin. "I feel underdressed."

My manicured fingernails gently scratch at her skin, causing her to shiver, as I look up at her seductively. "You will be soon."

Max lets out a small laugh, before easing her deft fingers around my back. I arch upwards to help her, which brings us closer, increasing the friction. She moves her hips slightly against me, causing me to let out a shuddery breath. I swear she does it on purpose. If the cheeky grin I catch a glimpse of is anything to go by, then I assume correctly. She reaches around for my bra strap. As she does, I begin to kiss her neck, my teeth grazing her skin. She moves her neck to allow me more access, trying hard to focus on her own task in the process. I feel her fingers loosen their hold on my strap slightly before she continues. Finally, my bra is removed. She takes a moment to really examine me. Her intense gaze makes me feel very vulnerable.

She smiles, kissing me tenderly. "No need to be insecure."

"I'm not."

"Uh-huh," Max shakes her head at my all too quick response. "I know that look, so don't bullshit me."

"Shut up." I reach up and start to take off her bra. My fingers fumble slightly as I do so.

"Victoria." I refused to acknowledge her words. Max sighs and goes to pull away from me. "Look, you don't have to keep going if you don't want to."

I stop her from moving away by grabbing hold of her wrist, my voice wavering. "I said shut up, Caulfield."

Max's face softens, much like the face she made when she was talking to Kate. She leans down and kisses my lips more gently than before, calming my nerves. "Okay."

I manage to get Max's bra off and throw it to the floor. She leans in and kisses me, pressing her body hard against me, our exposed skin rubbing together. My body tenses up slightly and I sigh into her mouth. Few words are exchanged as our hands roam each other's bodies. Her touch lights a fire in my body, everywhere she touches heats up. I was expecting her to be rough with me, throw me around like a rag-doll, at least that's how I imagined this kind of hookup anyway. _I'm glad in a way that it's not like that._

She kisses in between my breasts, then leaves a trail over to the right all the way to the nipple. With practiced confidence, she places her lips on it, her teeth grazing against the sensitive area. I let out a small moan of pleasure from this, my fingernails digging into her skin. Her tongue slowly circles my skin, her eyes staring intently at me to gauge my reaction. I move my body closer to hers, signaling that this is what I want. I feel her smile against my skin. She moves away from my breasts much to my disappointment, but soon I am rewarded. Her lips move down my body all the way down to the hem of my underwear. Her eyes flash mischievously at me. She kisses the fabric, then continues to the inside of my thigh. I whimper at her teasing, tangling my fingers in her hair, trying to pull her head closer.

Her blue eyes meet mine, "Patience. Just enjoy the build-up." She playfully nips the inside of my thigh as she works her way closer. She is really drawing this out.

"Max…" I hear my half-strangled voice fill the air.

Max's fingers brush lightly at the top of my underwear. I feel the heat rising in my body as she slides down my underwear. She quickly gets out of hers and returns back to kissing my thigh. Now with both of us completely naked, she lifts her head slightly, her voice low and husky. "Do you want to keep going?"

I nod, unable to vocalize the answer. The anticipation of the situation makes my body want to jerk and squirm, but I clamp down on it as best I can. Max steadies herself and finally places her lips where I want them so desperately to be. She slowly runs her tongue along my slit, causing my body to convulse at the sensation. After a few painstaking seconds,she pushes further. The coiling pressure in my stomach builds up with each stroke of her tongue. I bite my lip and clench the bed sheets to keep myself in control. She ventures deeper, broadening her strokes. I exhale, my grip on her sheets tightening further, my knuckles turning white from the pressure.

"Max… fuck…" My words seem to encourage her. She picks up the pace considerably, eliciting an involuntary moan to pass from my lips. Part way through she switches up her movements, trying to find the one that drives me wild. Side to side, wide circles, zigzags… I can no longer get my words out. The coiling tension in my body increases with each stroke of her tongue. A small trickle of sweat rolls down my forehead, my vision becoming hazy with the immense build-up of pressure. My heart rate is completely out of control, my breathing shallow and uneven. My fingers find her hair again, pulling her closer to try and find my release. My hips begin to move of their own accord, bringing her closer. Her hands steady me. She continues, picking up the pace and applying more pressure. _I… this is…_ "M… I think… I…"she pushes her tongue further and I feel myself begin to unravel. The tension in my body is almost too much to bear right now. Suddenly, I feel myself reach my limit and go over the edge. Her name passes my lips, a cry out into the darkness."Max!"

My voice hangs in the air as my body shakes and shudders, a tingling warmth spreading through me when the tension is released. Her pace slows and she eases her way out gently. She places one final kiss on my thigh, before grabbing a tissue from her bedside table and cleaning herself up. I lay there, my head spinning from the experience. I can't focus on much right now. However, I do feel her arms envelop me and she kisses my forehead.

"I guess you could say you reached your cli-Max," she whispers in my ear, her tone light-hearted as she grins. I would have hit her for that bad joke, but I'm too tired right now. She holds me as I catch my breath, stroking my hair gently. Her hot breath tickles my exposed skin. She feels around for the blanket with her foot and pulls it up around us, forming a kind of cocoon. We lay there in silence for a few moments.

I bury my head in her shoulder, mumbling. "Sorry."

Max gently takes my chin and lifts my head upwards so I have to look at her. "What are you sorry for?"

"I wanted to… do the same for you, but I'm too wiped now."

She shakes her head and smiles, "Don't worry about that. To be honest, I prefer doing things than having them be done to me." Her words shock me a little. I don't know why, but I had kind of imagined Max being a virgin. Not that it really matters. I shouldn't have assumed. People always assume I've slept with half of Blackwell… even though that couldn't be further from the truth.

"So… I guess that wasn't your first time doing this kind of thing then?"

There is a slight pause before she shakes her head. "No, it wasn't."

_I wonder who her first time was with. That might be too personal._ After a few moments, my curiosity gets the better of me. "Who was it with? It wasn't Price, was it?" _It might explain why they are so close._

Max lets out a small laugh at my suggestion, "No. Chloe has enough to handle with Rachel." I wait for her to continue. After a few moments, she sighs and I swear I can feel her grip on me tightening a little. "Back when I was in Seattle, I was going through a bit of a rough patch. I got involved with the wrong crowd and… did a lot of stuff I regret doing now. It's kind of the main reason why I moved back actually." She looks away, obviously not wanting to offer any more.

I rest my head on her chest, glancing up at her. "Well, it was mine."

Her eyes betray something for a split second, but it quickly fades. "I… see." _I wonder if she thought I had already slept with someone before, or maybe she just didn't really think about it until now._ She bites her lip nervously. I don't think I have ever seen her like this before. She is usually so self-assured or at least she tries hard to appear that way. Her eyes show me a frightened lost teen who has no idea what she is doing. She clamps down on this, but not before I see it. When she catches me staring, she sighs. "How… how was it?"

_It was… it's hard to describe._ "I… enjoyed it. Well, that's a bit of an understatement actually."

A small smile graces Max's face, the fear in her eyes replaced with relief as she draws me closer. "Good. That's how it should be. What's the point of doing it otherwise?"

"Yeah," my voice doesn't come out as confidently as I had planned. I'm actually feeling vulnerable here. "How about you?"

Max turns her head to face me, her blue eyes staring into mine. "Well, I feel a lot less stressed right now, so I'd say you did a good job."

"I didn't do much."

She presses her lips against mine gently, "You did amazing. You really were very sexy." I let out a breath I wasn't even aware I had been holding in. She laughs a little at my tenseness. "I didn't think that Victoria Chase would give a shit about pleasing others."

_It's not that really... My whole life I have been told I have to be perfect. My parents pushed me to be at the top off everything, especially anything that would prepare me to take over from them._ "I don't. I'm just a perfectionist."

Max raises an eyebrow skeptically, "Sure." _Maybe I care a little about pleasing people, at least certain people._ We lay there in silence for a few moments. When she speaks up again, her voice slightly hesitant. "So, what now? I mean, this can just be a one-time thing if you want it to be… or it can be a kind of whenever we need to thing… or whatever." She sighs deeply at her lack of eloquence. "I'm not very good at this."

_I haven't felt this good in a long time. I don't want to just pretend like it didn't happen, I can't._ "I don't know about you, but I could probably do with this every once in a while."

Max nods agreeably. "I'm cool with that."

I look away momentarily as my next sentence trails off into silence. "And maybe…"

Needless to say, she picks up on this and stares into my eyes. "Maybe…?"

_Deep down, I just want to form a meaningful connection with someone. As much as I enjoyed the more carnal side of tonight, it's actually not what I crave above all. I want the contact, I want to be able to reach out and feel._ I swallow hard, not wanting to scare her off. "I don't know. Just see what happens. Take it a day at a time."

Max closes her eyes for a moment, contemplating everything. "Ok, I can do that. Just take it day by day." _I'm glad she's acting so casual about this in a way. She seems easy going. Maybe something more can come from this as time goes on. I don't think she'd be opposed to the idea._ She clears her throat. "Just one more thing, do you want this to be open or closed? I think it's good to get all this established, you know?"

_I think, for now at least, I'd rather just have the two of us in this arrangement._ "Closed preferably. I personally don't see myself with anyone else here."

Max nods in agreement. "I hear that. Well, if that changes just say. Just so you know, I am not willing to include a guy in this. Other girls maybe, but no guys."

A small smile forms on my face. "That's the last thing I was going to suggest."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there is chapter 3 wrapped up. I did say there would be mature stuff… remember? Have a great day and see you next time.


	4. Attention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope you are doing amazing today. I'm finally returning with new content for this fic. It's been on my 'return to series' list for a while now. It feels like it's been ages since I wrote Chasefield stuff. I don't know how regular updates will be, but they will come. Just so you know, I did make some changes to the previous chapters (mostly just fixes). It's been so long that you'll probably want to re-read the previous content as a refresher anyway if you read it as a one-shot first.

**Chapter Four: Attention**

**A week later - Afternoon – Photography Classroom - Victoria's POV**

It has been a week since I turned up at Max's room in the early hours of the morning. Afterward, we went our separate ways to class, making sure that nobody saw my leave. We haven't really spoken since then. Mr. Jefferson drones on but I can't focus on his lecture. Not with Max here. The problem is, nothing seems to have changed. I had expected her to subtly look my way at least once or twice in our shared classes or sought me out in private. Even when we pass each other in the hallway, she doesn't acknowledge my existence. For some reason, that really irritates me. The fact that she can just continue to ignore me so easily, even after what we did, is frustrating. Out of pride, I have kept my distance too just waiting for her to come crawling back. I made the first move so now it should be her turn. Somehow, I don't think Max sees it that way. What's worse, I've had to watch her from a distance laughing and chatting so freely with Kate Marsh of all people.

 _It's almost like I'm not occupying even a single thought in Max's head._ That suggestion makes my hand clench. The whole idea is that she's supposed to become dependent on me, not for her to pick and choose when to pay me attention. Sure, it's early days yet but I had expected some kind of noticeable progress immediately after. Taylor must have noticed my sudden anger because she lightly nudges my foot under the desk. She gives me a look that asks, 'What's wrong?'. I shake my head, not ready or able to go into it now. Thankfully for both her own sake and mine, she takes the hint and leaves it for now.

When the bell finally rings to signal the end of class, I make a decision to confront Max. I'm probably playing right into her hands, but if I don't do something my plan will have failed before I've even started. Instead of performing my usual ass-kissing duties with Mr. Jefferson, I follow Max and Kate out of the classroom. _There is no way she's getting away this time._

"Caulfield," I call out as I grab onto her wrist to stop her from ignoring me and racing off ahead. The last thing I want to do is run after her… or follow her back to her room. That would basically be conceding defeat.

She shakes me off and spins around on the spot to face me, looking annoyed at being stopped. "What?"

I place a hand on my hip, mustering all the contempt I can in my expression and voice. "As much as it pains me, I have to talk with your lame ass."

Her eyes narrow and eyebrows furrow showing her disapproval. "Maybe I don't want to."

Keeping up the façade, I roll my eyes. "Did I make it seem like you had a choice?"

Sighing, she turns to Kate with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about this, Kate. You go on without me. I'll see you later, okay?"

"If you're sure, Max," Kate hesitantly agrees, shooting fearful sideways glances my way. Reluctantly, she walks on ahead, looking back over her shoulder until she disappears around the corner.

I motion for Max to follow me to a more secluded area, away from prying eyes. "Why have you been ignoring me?"

She seems confused by the question, as if her behavior makes perfect sense, "I figured that you'd probably want to keep your public and personal experiences separate. You know, for social reasons. Don't mix business with pleasure. Or was I wrong? I wonder how the other Vortex Club members might react knowing what we did."

"The Vortex Club isn't like that," I interrupt before she can continue.

"Isn't it? Let me tell you a little secret," she leans in closer as if she really is divulging something classified. "They'd turn on you in a heartbeat if the opportunity arose."

"What the fuck do you know about us?" I snap defensively.

If I thought Max was angry before, now she's fuming. "I know that Kate is ridiculed on a weekly basis just because of her beliefs. And that's just because she doesn't want to fuck the first person she sees, like everybody else around here. You think these same people will be any kinder to you?"

"I'm one of them, Max. Maybe you're forgetting that." I remind her. There's no way Nathan would allow it. Between us, we basically run the Vortex Club. Nobody would dare challenge us.

A short, sharp laugh escapes her lips, indicating that is the most ridiculous counter-argument she has ever heard. "You think that matters? Hell, that probably makes you more of a target. A high ranking Vortex member who had sex with Maxine Caulfield of all people… that'll _really_ get tongues wagging."

The way she says that sets my teeth on edge. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"Are you fucking serious?" Max asks incredulously, actually sounding a bit hurt by the insinuation. "I'm trying to warn you. Do you _really_ think I'd stoop that low?"

I really didn't expect her to be insulted by that and it catches me off guard for just a moment. Soon enough, I shake off the shock and go on the offensive. "Whatever, I don't need your advice."

Max looks as if she might argue back, but instead she lets out a deep sigh, "You know what, never mind. What would I know? I'm clearly not as 'enlightened' as you are and should keep my stupid mouth shut. I mean, it's not like I really care what you do." Without saying another word, she turns her back on me and storms off towards the dorm building.

This encounter leaves me more frustrated than before. _If it's the last thing I do, Maxine Caulfield, I will get you to care. Mark my words._

* * *

**Max's POV – Max's Room**

Anger clouds my mind as I stomp off towards my room. _What the hell is she playing at?_ When I reach my door, I yank it open and slam it shut behind me.

As expected, Chloe is lounging around on my bed. At the sound, she glances over at me. "Whoa, the Incredible Max makes an appearance. What's up?"

I take a deep, calming breath and reply with the only answer I can trust myself with right now. "Victoria."

She sits up and pats the space beside her on the bed. "Did she fuck with you again?"

Taking her up on the offer, I make my way over to the bed and flop down. "You could say that, yes. In more ways than one."

The implication of my words slowly dawns on her. "Wait, you don't mean… Holy shit, Max. You _actually_ did it?"

 _To be honest, I would be pretty surprised if I were her._ "What's so big about it? Yeah, we had sex. So what?"

Chloe looks genuinely impressed and astounded. "Damn, I never thought you'd go ahead with it."

I can't help but smile at her shock despite my previous irritation. "Well, she did come to my room at half one in the morning wearing lacy underwear giving me the bedroom eyes last week. What else am I supposed to do in that situation?"

"She did what? Oh man, why didn't you tell me sooner? This is fucking gold. Just wait until I tell Rachel," Chloe began rubbing her hands together with impish delight.

Before she can get too carried away, I take hold of her shoulder. "Chloe just hang on a sec. I… want to keep this a secret, okay?"

Apparently, this is the most unbelievable request she has ever heard judging by her disbelieving expression. "You did not just say that. Dude, you had fucking sex with Victoria Chase. _Victoria Chase._ You know who that is, right? Blackwell's mega bitch… now your bitch."

I roll my eyes melodramatically so she can see my disapproval. "Jeez, Chloe. So mature. Seriously, though, don't tell anyone. For me."

She simply shrugs, looking a bit disappointed. "I don't see why the hell you wouldn't want to but, if that's what you want then I guess I'll keep it to myself."

"Under no circumstances are you to tell Rachel. She'll spread it around like wildfire and you know it. And _don't_ let Victoria know you know either." _If Victoria knew that Chloe knew, she would literally kill me. Let alone if Rachel got wind of the gossip._

Chloe seems almost offended by my 'slanderous' suggestion. "Max please, I keep my promises. So now that I'm sworn to secrecy, can I ask more questions?"

"I feel like you're going to anyway…" I mention with a sigh, realizing that it's pointless to resist. She'll just wear me down until I answer. _I guess I should let her have a bit of fun._

Without any awkwardness or stalling, she jumps straight to the point. "Was she any good?"

 _What else was I expecting from Chloe Price?_ "Of course, _that's_ the first question you ask."

Her lip quirks upwards into a lop-sided grin. "Well, duh. I need all those juicy details. First off, who was leading? And you still need to answer the other question."

Deciding that I may as well entertain her to save my sanity and avoid a barrage of daily repeated questions, I answer her. "Me. I only did stuff to her and it was just fine. Worth doing again."

That seems to shock her. "Damn, I didn't put Victoria down as the submissive type."

 _If I'm honest, that did surprise me too. I guess the phrase 'never judge a book by its cover' really does apply here._ "Me neither, but there we go. We did some foreplay, pretty basic stuff. Then… we had sex. I don't know what else to say."

"Yeah, but _how_?" she presses, obviously not satisfied by my summary. "Finger or tongue… or something else? I've seen all sorts of wacky shit on the web."

Between Rachel and Chloe, I don't doubt that they have stumbled across, or more likely scoured the web for crazy shit… and found exactly what they were looking for. "I bet you have… Tongue, if you really have to know. Oh, and I made a pun about how she'd reached her cli-Max too."

As anticipated, this amuses her greatly. "You are literally my favorite person in the world right now. All hail Max the Pun Master."

If she thought that was good, she's going to love what I have to say next. "That's not all. We had a little chat about previous experiences afterward and it seems like I'm her first."

"On top of this crazy story, you took the Queen Bitch of Blackwell's virginity too. Am I just dreaming this?" the twinkle of glee in her eyes fades slightly and a frown forms on her face. "Wait, did you… tell her about Seattle?"

I had a feeling this might come up. She really does worry unnecessarily. "A little, nothing that detailed. I just said I'd done shit like that before and that Seattle didn't do me any favors."

Chloe's expression softens considerably. "That's putting it mildly."

"Doesn't matter now. It's in the past," I mumble, pushing back memories I'd much rather forget.

"Bullshit," she challenges. "Don't go using that line on me, Max."

Desperate to move on from this conversation, I exhale deeply. If it was anybody else pushing me like this, I would probably lash out at them. Chloe is different, though. She's helped me a lot over the past year or so. "What do you want me to say, Chloe?"

She hesitates for a moment before replying. "That this little 'rendezvous' with Victoria isn't going to fuck you up too much. Look, I don't want to sound like a nosy bitch or anything. I'm just worried. There's no need to rush into things."

"It's a little late for that advice," I point out half-jokingly.

After giving it some thought, she nods slowly. "Where did you leave it with her?"

"That we'd just see each other if and when we need to. No strings attached," I relay the basic details of the arrangement I made with Victoria.

"So, why were you angry when you came in?" she asks, looking very confused. "It seems like a pretty sweet deal if you ask me."

That's when I remember why I was mad in the first place. "She was angry at me for ignoring her all day. What else am I supposed to do? Go around professing my undying love for her or something?"

"Now _that_ is something I'd like to see." Chloe chuckles lightly at the mental image.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but that probably won't be happening anytime soon," I allow myself a momentary smile before the irritation takes over again. "Seriously, people at Blackwell are brutal. I mean, look at Rachel. Victoria thinks she's immune to the gossip just because she's a member, but we all know that logic is flawed."

"Does she have a death wish? Blackwell would eat her alive if they knew," she agrees, having heard her fair share of Blackwell brand gossip… and been the subject of some, too.

I nod in agreement. "I know, but she yelled at me anyway. She clearly doesn't understand how badly malicious gossip can fuck with your head."

"Well, yeah. She's usually the one making it, so she has no idea," Chloe states as casually as she can. There is an understandable hint of frustration in her voice.

"I wish I could argue with you but you're probably right," I concede reluctantly as I lay back down on the bed. Chloe soon joins me in my ceiling staring. Silence passes over us, but it's not awkward. We don't need to talk all the time. Just being together is enough.

People like Victoria only understand what their tormenting does when it's way too late. Kate acts like it doesn't bother her, but I know better. Which makes me feel kind of bad for sleeping with Victoria. Like I'm betraying Kate's trust. I'm sure she wouldn't see it like that but I can't help feeling that way. _Maybe I can get some good out of this, inspire Victoria to change her ways or at least call her out and challenge her. All I can do is try, I guess._

* * *

**Later**

A soft tapping fills the air as I gently hit the end of my pen on the desk. Chloe decided to hang out with Justin, Trevor, and the other skaters while I work on getting my homework done for the day. She always moans about how boring it is waiting for me. With Rachel in LA following her dream, I'm Chloe's main source of entertainment. Thankfully, there are other people around to keep her amused when I'm busy. I hum along softly to my indie playlist as I work. Earlier, I dropped in on Kate. She seemed worried about my little encounter with Victoria earlier but I assured her there was nothing to worry about. _Kate is the total opposite of Victoria in almost every way. How can two people be so different?_

There is a confident knock at my door, interrupting my train of thought. If it was Chloe, she would just barge in. I highly doubt it's Kate. When she knocks on my door, she's usually really gentle. Sometimes, she can be standing outside my room for a good five minutes before I notice she's there. That leaves only one probable possibility… After briefly debating whether to ignore the knocking, I decide to investigate. I stand up, pause my music, and go over to the door.

As soon as I open it Victoria scowls at me, immediately skipping the pleasantries. " _Nobody_ ignores me, Caulfield."

"Really?" Just to mess with her and prove a point, I slam the door in her face. It probably alerts half the dorm but I don't care right now. I can't help the smug smirk that tugs at my lips as I back away from the door and lay down on my bed. _Cue Victoria in 3… 2… 1…_

My mental countdown is scarily accurate as Victoria burst into my room. She is livid, almost shaking with anger as she shuts the door behind her and paces towards the bed. "What the actual fuck, Max?"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," I state, feigning ignorance.

"Are you trying to be a bitch or does it come naturally to you?" she asks irately, looking like she might stab me as she approaches.

I shrug, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "Bit of both."

"Ugh, you are so infuriat-" Victoria's words are cut off suddenly as I grab hold of her wrist, pulling her down onto the bed and pinning her down. I have been waiting for the right moment to strike ever since she came into my room. It seems I've found it.

"Oh, please continue. I'm listening." I grin as I lean down and begin kissing Victoria's neck. That shuts the Queen Bee right up, her body betraying her outward angry resistance. I pause momentarily, allowing myself a moment to gloat over my victory. "What, nothing more to say?

Before she has the chance to respond, I press my lips against hers. Unsurprisingly, she is extremely receptive and returns my kiss. I can sense the hungry passion bubbling just under the surface, but also the anger from letting herself go along with my plan. Just getting started, I press my knee in between her legs and am awarded with a light moan. She is trying hard to suppress the sound, not giving me the satisfaction. My fingers run through her hair, lips and tongue seeking contact. I feel her hands on my back, running along the fabric of my shirt. Her fingertips creep underneath, ready to remove clothing. As much as I would love to continue, I restrain myself. _If she wants more, she'll have to earn it this time. Hopefully, that will improve her attitude somewhat and stop her playing this power game._

Before things go too far, I let her go and climb off her. Her cheeks are flushed and hair disheveled. Normally, she is so perfect and now, thanks to me, she's not. I'm able to do things to her no-one else can. Bring her to the brink and keep her wanting. She's so used to being in control that forcing her to take a more passive role is actually pretty amusing. Obviously, she's confused by the sudden change and for a while, she just lays there. When her brain finally catches up, she hastily fixes herself up and slides off the bed.

"This isn't over, Caulfield," she threatens shakily as she storms out of my room, not even looking back once.

When she has left I lay back on the bed, smirking to myself. "I'm counting on it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whose plan will ultimately succeed? Stay tuned to find out…


	5. Payback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I hope you are all doing awesome today. Here is my humble offering of Chasefield today. I got this chapter written up way quicker than I expected, which is never a bad thing.

**Chapter Five: Payback**

**Victoria's Room – Victoria's POV**

After that rather infuriating encounter with Max, I storm out of the room. When I reach my own dorm room I slam my door, angry at the way things have turned out. _I have to fix this somehow. Otherwise, that's it. Damn her._ Nobody has ever gotten me so frustrated and excited all at the same time before. The worst thing is, I can only seethe in silence. It would be _so_ embarrassing to tell anyone about this, even people like Taylor and Courtney. Also, it would just be another win for Max. Another way she has pushed me to the edge and made her occupy my thoughts.

I let out a deep sigh/groan combo as I lay down on my bed. _This is so stupid._ Even though I know this, it doesn't help much. Part of me is tempted to just go back right now and give her a piece of my mind, but that's just what she'd want me to do. Come back with my tail between my legs. _No, I have to stay strong. She'll come eventually. I know it. All I have to do is wait._ That is much easier said than done. As I lay there in the dark, all I can think about is her stupid freckled face. I start to feel all warm and tingly as I let my imagination run riot. Instinctively, I briefly squeeze my thighs together before turning onto my side to face the wall. _Just forget about her._

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Sighing, I get up and change into my pajamas as well as performing my nightly skin routine. There is no point trying to do anything else other than sleep right now. I'm too agitated to work, not that I probably would have even without Max's input. Now ready for bed, I get under the covers and try to clear my mind with little to no success. All I want to do now is go back to where Max is and finish what she started. _Get a grip, Victoria. You can survive one night without her. You managed before so you can manage now._ The thing is before I didn't know any better. Now that I've had a taste of what Max can inspire in me, it's much harder to ignore. Somehow, I manage to get some sleep that night. However, the only things my dreams show me are more frustrating visions of Max.

* * *

**Two days Later – Late Evening - Max's Room - Max's POV**

Chloe has gone to see Rachel for the first time in a few months. Not wanting to be a third wheel, I decided to stay behind. That does mean I'm on my own right now. _Chloe has such a huge, loud presence that_ _I really miss it when she's not here._ I would go and see Kate, but she's probably asleep now. She's one of those early to bed, early to rise types. Aka. The complete opposite of me. If I asked, I know she'd stay up for me. Which makes me more reluctant to do that to her. _Kate is too good to me as it is. I wouldn't want to inconvenience her more than I already have._ That does leave me with one more obvious option. Someone I don't mind troubling so much. Of course, she will most definitely still be mad at me for the stunt I pulled the other day. That thought makes me hesitate momentarily as I weight up whether it would be worth the aggravation or not. _I'm sure she'll get over it soon enough if she hasn't already._

In a decisive motion, I stand up and leave my room. Right in front of me sits the door leading to my destination. Victoria Chase's room. After checking the coast is clear, I knock on her door. After some time, the door opens. When Victoria sees me, she greets me with her usual contempt filled scowl. "What do you want?"

I cross my arms, ready to stand my ground. "I thought I'd come see you. Is that a problem?"

She doesn't seem ready to back down either, drawing herself to her fullest height. "Well, maybe I don't want to."

_So, it's going to be like that, huh?_ "Fine, have it your way…" As I go to turn around, I feel a hand on my wrist and am pulled into Victoria's room with considerable force. Actually, she nearly pulls me clean over. "Someone's aggressive t-" Before I have the chance to finish my sentence or even regain my balance, I feel lips on mine and my back is pushed into the now closed door. I don't resist her. It would be foolish, even suicidal, to try.

Once she finally pulls away, her expression is a mixture of annoyance and desire. "What took you so fucking long?"

The idea that Victoria had been brooding in her room for the past two days waiting for me to make an appearance is equal part amusing and kind of cute. "Oh, were you waiting for me to come to you. That's too cute."

"Shut up, Caulfield," she all but growls that. I can tell she is really pissed at me but that she longs for the contact between us.

"Make me, Chase," I challenge, deciding to give her a chance to do what she wants for a while. Of course, I won't let her get too far. Just enough to lead her into a false sense of security.

Taking me up on my challenge, Victoria begins to kiss me. It is much hungrier and more aggressive than the last time, so I know I've gotten to her. I return her passion just as enthusiastically, making sure to keep my stake of control just enough to seamlessly shift whenever I want to. Her tongue finds its way inside my mouth, deepening the kiss. That hint of desperation only increases as time passes and I can sense her becoming more and more impatient, especially as her hands come to rest in the back pockets of my jeans.

Figuring that it's about time for me to take over, I hastily kick my shoes off and begin pushing back until we are by the couch. When we're at the right angle, I push her down onto the couch and get on top of her. She doesn't complain about this change in leadership, she doesn't have the time. My lips are back on hers in an instant and my right hand finds its way to her thigh, fingers beginning to pull down her tights. Her hands begin roaming over my body, helping me out of my well-worn hoodie. With controlled desperation, we strip each other down until we are left with just our underwear on. I take just a moment to get a good look at her before we continue our disrobing and exploration.

It's strange. While I was in Seattle, dalliances like this never really did it for me, now that I've had time to reflect. That probably had something to do with the people involved. They almost always took, never giving. You were just an object used for someone else's gratification. That worked both ways, of course. For some people, it was a competition. For others it acted as a stress release, to prevent boredom or sexual rebellion against strict parents. That was only the tip of the iceberg for the various reasons. For me… well, I'd just gotten caught up in it and didn't know how to get out. A vicious cycle. I kidded myself that it was what I needed, even when deep down I knew I was just digging myself a deeper hole to fall into. With Victoria, there seems to be a subtle difference. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's there. _Enough about Seattle, though. I'm not there anymore. Focus on the task at hand._

My fingers wander along her porcelain skin, fingernails leaving light marks on otherwise unmarked territory. All the while, I make sure to apply pressure in between her legs with my knee, both teasing and preparing her for what is to come. _Namely, her._ I can't help but smile at my own bad joke as my fingertips trace her ribcage, down to her pelvic bone. All the while, I can tell Victoria is doing her best to stifle any small outward expression of her anticipation. There are some she can't stop, like the small moans and involuntary body movements. Knowing that she's trying so hard to suppress herself only makes the experience even more satisfying for me. When I reach her inner thigh I stop, letting my fingers hover on her skin. So close to where she wants them to be, but not close enough.

_Now, let's play with her a little._ "I don't know if I feel like continuing… maybe if you beg."

That sudden statement takes a second to sink in. Once it has, Victoria gives me a disbelieving look. "Um… excuse you?"

Certain that this will be an entertaining avenue, I repeat my demand. "You heard me. If you want more, beg for it."

* * *

**Victoria's POV**

The first time I hear this ridiculous notion, I am ready to launch into a full-scale protest. Just seeing how smug Max looks right now is making me so annoyed. _She thinks she is totally in control right now._ _I can see it in her eyes._ Then it hits me. There _is_ a way I can flip this around. If I do as she says, but do it in a certain way, I can turn this in my favor. Or at least, give back as good as I get. As much as my pride warns me against doing this, I know that it's the reaction that will get the most out of Max. In the long run, that's what I'm after.

Digging deep, I alter my expression to one more seductive and enticing. My tone becomes huskier and softer, making things seem much more intimate than they already are. _Just try to resist this. I_ _ **dare**_ _you._ "Please, Max. I want you… _need_ you. Right now."

Clearly, she wasn't expecting me to actually beg and definitely not as earnestly as I did. I can see that much from the hesitation in her expression. She probably thought I'd storm out of the room and get myself all frustrated over her again. That I'd let her get to me. _Not this time. Now who's off guard?_

There's a flicker of confused longing in her eyes for a brief moment like she isn't quite sure how to react to me. It seems to work catching her interest, which is my aim. "Damn, wish I'd got that on video now."

I allow myself a small, victorious smile. _That seems to have worked a charm._ "No videos, only memories. So, I've done what you asked. Now's your part of the deal."

Max looks me directly in the eyes as if she were trying to see my inner most thoughts. "A deal's a deal. It'd be cruel to go back on my word after such a performance."

As promised, her fingers continue their journey. I can't help but shiver as they meet their mark and she begins to get to work. I briefly wonder just how many people she has done this with but quickly abandon that line of thought. Instead, I focus on the moment and let myself slowly lose control at her touch. She seems to quickly work out all the most sensitive spots, making sure to pay them careful attention. Soon enough, she had me on the brink again, incoherent, broken sentences and unintelligible sounds pouring from my lips. All of a sudden, it becomes too much to bear. This time as I cry out from the sudden release of coiling pressure, Max places her mouth over mine and kisses me again. This time, she is much more gentle. She slowly removes her fingers and squeezes in beside me on the couch. It's not really meant for two people but we manage somehow. She wraps her arms around me as I try to catch my breath again. My mind is still a haze of pleasure as she places tender kisses to my cheek, forehead, nose and anywhere else she can reach. Given our mostly hostile relationship, it's surprising how gentle she can be in the aftermath. _I wonder if she has a reason for that._

Unable to help myself, I ask the question I've been dying to know the answer to. "Max, just how many people have you been with before me?"

That question earns me a small smile. "Curious are you? Let me think…"

The long pause actually worries me a little. "That many?"

No longer able to keep up the seriousness, Max lets out a soft chuckle as she tightens her hold on me. "I'm just fucking with you. Maybe around five? Yeah, definitely five."

Another question pops into my head, one that naturally leads on from the other. "Were all of them women?"

"Nope, although women definitely became the preference by the end. For various reasons. If you don't try, you never know." I kind of want to press her for more information, but I have a feeling that would be too much. After a moment, Max's expression changes to something more uncertain. "Does it bother you?"

"No, not at all. I was just wondering," I quickly interject, not wanting her to get the wrong idea.

"Well, wonder no longer." Max seems so open about certain aspects of her time in Seattle, but not others. It's almost like I can sense an invisible wall when we hit a topic she is less inclined to talk about. _Something tells me that brute forcing my way to answers won't end well._ "Anyway, enough about the past. It's not like I can change it or anything. Let's just focus on the here and now."

"Yeah, sure. I can do that." Now that I have caught my breath a bit, I lean in and press my lips against Max's again. She readily accepts my kiss, again remaining tame. It's like she's a totally different person now. _Maybe this is a glimpse of what she used to be like before Seattle._ As much as I enjoy the sex side of our arrangement, I think I could get used to this side as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Victoria's clawing her way back a little and we're slowly building up Max's experience in Seattle along the way. I'm off to bed now, so have a great day and see you next time.


	6. Jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back to the story. I hope you are well. This chapter will include some mention of bullying, just as a heads up.

**Chapter Six: Jealousy**

**Three Days Later - Max's POV - Max's Room**

For the first time in ages, I've decided to update my journal. A lot has happened recently, so I figured I might as well fill some pages up. The last time I wrote in it was while in Seattle, before… I changed. It wasn't always bad there. The first year or so was great, actually. Of course, it didn't last…. Pushing those memories aside, I finish up my diary entry. It takes me some time to figure out how to word everything, since I haven't written in it for ages, but I get there in the end.

Just as I finish up and stash the journal back under my bed until the next time I remember I have one, the door to my dorm room suddenly bursts open. _There is only one person I can think of who would almost break my door like that…_ Sure enough, when I look over at the door I see Chloe. She grins at me as she catches my eye. "The brave traveler returns from her adventures. I hope you weren't too bored while I was away."

Seeing a good opportunity to tease her, I stare at her blankly. "Not at all. I didn't even realize you were gone. Who are you again?"

Chloe's narrows her eyes at me. "Charming, glad to know you missed me. And I was just about to give you some pirate swag from LA."

"Okay, maybe I missed you a little bit," I backtrack, not wanting to miss out.

Her lips quirk upwards into a grin as she bounds over to the bed excitedly, plonking herself down on the mattress beside me. "That's better. Just add 'your highness' on the end and I might consider forgiving you."

Instead of complying, I hit her in the face with the nearest pillow I can find. Before long, we've broken out into a full on pillow fight. Neither of us want to back down because of pride and stubbornness. _Over the years, we've become more alike… well, I'm more like her._ Eventually, we call a mutual truce, both of us breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Shit, Max… you've definitely become… more violent," Chloe managed as she struggled to get her breath back.

"Maybe you've… become softer," I accuse playfully, trying to goad her.

As expected, that statement annoys her. "Do you want me to… end our truce early? Because I totally will if you even _dare_ suggest I've gone soft."

Not in any state to renew combat, I decide to give up for now. "For the sake of peace, I… retract that statement."

When we're able to talk again, we both sit up and lean our backs against the wall. Chloe turns to me with a smirk. "Soooooo... did you and Victoria spent some more 'private time' together?"

"Maybe we did. Maybe we didn't," I reply noncommittally. _If Chloe wants answers about my personal life, she'll have to earn them._

Her eyebrows raise skeptically as she looks me dead in the eyes. "You so did. I can tell by that smug smile."

"Then why are you even asking if you already know?" I've never been able to hide things from Chloe. Somehow, she always knows. _At least that weakness works both ways._

"I was giving you a chance to admit it off your own back," soon realizing that I'm not going to humor her by going into detail, she moves on. "You know I still can't believe you're fucking Victoria Chase of all people. How many people would pay to be in your position? At least half of Blackwell, I reckon."

"I don't plan on doing a survey. That's one sure fire way to instant death." I don't want to piss Victoria off unnecessarily. There's a fine line between getting her riled up in a good way and invoking her wrath for all the wrong reason. _Crossing lines is dangerous at the best of times. With Victoria… that borders on suicidal._

Chloe let out a short, sharp laugh. "You don't have to. Just listen in on the bro locker room talk. That would be a good enough answer. Not only them. I bet there are enough chicks out there who would be more than happy to bang her."

"Like who?" I ask, curious to know how she will answer. _Something tells me she has some insider info._

"Given half the chance, I'm sure Rachel would," Chloe states matter-of-factly. "She always did like a challenge. Hell, I might be tempted just for the bragging rights. She might have a fuck awful attitude but… she's hella hot, which kind of counterbalances the bitchiness."

If either Rachel or Chloe ever got that far with Victoria, there is no doubt in my mind that everyone would know about it by the next day. If not sooner. _Gossip spreads like wildfire at Blackwell._ "Both of you would be a total nightmare."

Not able to deny it, Chloe just shrugs. "To be fair, she'd deserve the backlash. It might be an eye opener for her."

"Maybe. Nobody should have to go through that hell, though." While it might be good to knock her down a peg or two, that would be overkill. People at Blackwell, and elsewhere, are merciless.

"And here comes moral Max back from the grave," Chloe sighs loudly to show her disapproval at me ruining her imaginary social beat down of Victoria. "But, you're right. Even the Queen Bitch of Blackwell has a sensitive side… somewhere deep down inside."

"You almost sounded like William there, minus the swearing," I observe. _Chloe might not like to admit it, but she really looks up to William. So do I._

"Well, he can be very persuasive sometimes," she shakes her head slightly before changing the subject. "Anyway, enough about Bitchtoria. This is _our_ reunion/chill out time."

"Are you getting jealous?" I ask teasingly. For a while, I've had a feeling that Chloe sees me as something other than a friend. I can see it in her eyes sometimes. As for me, I wouldn't be against it by any means. Chloe's my best friend and she's become pretty hot over the years. Circumstances have conspired against that possibility, though. I moved to Seattle and… lots of things happened there. Now, she has Rachel - although, I'm not sure she would mind all that much - and I have Victoria to think about. _Something tells me Victoria is_ _ **not**_ _the sharing type… especially with someone like Chloe._

"Perish the thought," Chloe protests, although her eyes betray her.

"You always were possessive as hell." I remember too many times where that particular trait backfired on me.

"You make that sound like a bad thing."

I tilt my head to the side, feigning a pensive expression. "It's about 50/50… more or less."

"And that's the thanks I get for being your loyal and faithful companion… typical." Chloe lightly shoves my shoulder.

"Oh yes, because _I'm_ the bad guy in all this, picking on you for no reason." I roll my eyes at her playfully. _The guilt trip… her favorite weapon._

She grins at me cheekily. "Got it in one, Maxi-pad. Glad to see we're on the same page." I never could win an argument with Chloe. She doesn't play by the conventional rules. Hell, she'll say or do anything to prove she's right. Her logic is… interesting to say the least. Most of the time, it isn't even worth trying to reason with her. "Anyway, want to see what I got you?" she asks excitedly, almost bouncing with eagerness to show me what she brought back.

"Duh."

Grinning, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a familiar plastic bag. No matter where she goes, she almost always manages to come back with some kind of drug. _Not that I'm complaining._ "Rachel swears by this. Apparently, it gives the most insane highs. Arcadia Bay shit is weak as hell compared to this."

I take the bag from her, getting a good look at the contents. "Want to check it out now?"

"Hella yes!" she exclaims as I get up and open the window. Chloe starts prepping while I'm gone, just as curious as me to try it out.

One thing is for sure, Rachel wasn't lying.

* * *

**Three Days Later - Victoria's POV - After Class**

Now that class is over for the day, I finally go back to my room. Much to my annoyance, Max wasn't here today. She must be skipping, which is unfortunate for me. I was hoping to catch her as she left. Really, I didn't want to have to go crawling back to her room again _,_ but it seems like I have little choice. Courtney and Taylor are apparently busy today, so I walk back to the dorm building alone. Normally at least one of them is free so I find it a bit suspicious. _I wonder if they are talking about me, not that I wouldn't blame them. I've been acting weird ever since Max came along. I sense an interrogation on the horizon…_

Sighing at that possibility, I open the door and climb up the stairs to the girls' rooms. On the way back to my room, I spot Kate in the dorm hallway. She seems a million miles away, obviously not noticing me yet. She is the last person I want to see right now. Jealousy begins to bubble up inside me. Whenever I see Kate, I can't help but think about Max and how freely she smiles when they talk. The gentle expression she reserves for her...

 _Just looking at her pisses me off…_ In a split decision, I stride over to her. All too late, Kate notices me coming. I can see her desperately looking for an escape route, coming up blank. "Oh, look who it is."

Kate glances down at her feet, obviously hoping that the ground will swallow her up and save her from my wrath. "Victoria… I… I don't want any trouble…"

I place my hand on my hip as I block her. "Too late for that. So, what's going on with you and that dumb hipster?"

She looks up at me, turning away almost immediately when she notices the overwhelming contempt and disgust. "N-nothing…"

"Oh, I bet. Max would never go for someone like you." For some reason, I can't stop myself from doing this. I know I shouldn't be harassing Kate like this, that she doesn't deserve it, but that logic has long since gone out of the window. I don't really even know what I'm trying to achieve, only that I'm annoyed.

"What are you talking about?" Kate seems genuinely confused at what I'm trying to insinuate.

I could stop here, walk away and leave her be… but I don't. "I've seen the way you look at her. Honestly, you claim to be all pure and chaste, but I can tell what you're _really_ thinking. What would all those people at your church think if they knew? What would Max think?"

Slowly understanding what I'm trying to imply, Kate shakes her head. "Max is my friend…"

"Oh, please… you can lie to yourself, but not me. I bet you've had all sorts of weird thoughts about Max, haven't you? How pitiful." It's clear from Kate's expression that she is trying hard not to cry. A small voice in my head is telling me to stop, that I've gone far enough. It gets swallowed up by jealousy, urging me to continue.

Just as I'm about to deal the finishing blow, I hear an all too familiar voice, "What the hell is going on here?" I turn around to see Max stood there, sizing up the situation. When her eyes fall on Kate, see how close to tears she is, her expression shifts from concern to anger.

"None of your business." Ignoring me, Max pushes past and goes to Kate's side. Immediately, Kate latches onto her, burying her head in her shoulder. Max wraps her arms around her, giving her a comforting hug.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here now." The gentleness in Max's voice just makes me even more annoyed. A few seconds pass before she breaks away. "Go wait in your room, okay? I'll be there soon. There's something I have to take care of real quick."

Reluctantly, Kate pulls back and enters her room. Before she closes the door, she peeks back at us. The moment she leaves, Max turns to me with an expression of pure rage. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Automatically, I switch to my defensive mode. "Excuse you?"

"You can't just go around bullying people like that." She doesn't even bother to hide or soften her rage.

"Who says I can't?" I hate being told what to do at the best of times. Now is even worse.

Max grits her teeth, taking a step closer to me. Her voice is low and threatening. "I do. If I see or hear that you've so much as looked at Kate the wrong way again, there _will_ be trouble. That's not a threat, that's a promise. Got it?"

If I could just have a normal conversation with Max about how I feel, then we wouldn't even be butting heads right now. I realize that I should just walk away now, calm myself down before I say something I'll regret, but I'm way past rational though now. My stubbornness and pride are too high. "Who the fuck do you think you are? You're lucky to even be breathing the same air as me, let alone anything else."

"Oh, really? I think I've done a little more than sharing air with you. Don't you?" she asks, already knowing the answer. I can't say anything to that. Something shifts in her eyes then and I know I've crossed some invisible line. "Speaking of, until you apologize to Kate, we're done."

"Done?" I ask incredulously.

"Yeah, done," Max repeats firmly. "I'm not going to keep fucking around with someone who treats my friends like that."

That only makes me feel more pissed off because of both the impersonality of her words regarding me and the mention of Kate. "Friends, huh? I don't know about that. You seem to be more interested in Kate than that."

"Whatever it is you're about to say… don't. I'm at my limit as it is. Pushing me won't get you anywhere." As much as I want to push her, say everything that's in my mind right now, I bite my tongue. Max seems genuinely pissed off at me. I've never seen her this angry, practically fuming. "Three days. If you haven't given her a satisfactory apology by then, you don't exist to me. Got it?"

Instead of answering her, I storm off. That's all I know how to do.

* * *

**Max's POV**

Still feeling annoyed, I exhale deeply. I hate fighting like this, but sometimes I have to put my foot down. There is no way I can let Victoria push Kate around like that, for both their sakes. Still, I probably could have handled it better. The way Victoria looked at me when I told her we were done until she apologized affected me more than I was expecting. She looked really shocked and… hurt. _Damn it. Why is everything I try to do in life so complicated and messy...?_

Trying to push her from my mind, I go and see if Kate is okay. Victoria was really laying into her. I push on the door and enter her room. She's sat on her bed, staring at the floor. My heart drops as I close the door and sit down beside her. "You okay?"

She looks up at me, obviously having cried while I was chewing Victoria out. "Better now you're here."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"It's not your fault," Kate quickly interjects. She's always like this, putting other people's feelings over her own.

"I don't know about that…" I didn't hear exactly what Victoria was saying but from what I did hear, it involved me. That just makes me feel worse and more responsible.

There is a brief silence between us before Kate speaks up again. "Max… I don't mean to pry, but… has something happened between you and Victoria?"

Dreading this conversation, I sigh deeply. "You could say that, yeah. Nothing bad, really. Don't worry."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks, looking concerned even though I told her she didn't have to be.

I feel conflicted about telling her but I don't want to keep secrets. "I guess I should since you're kind of involved now. Basically, Victoria and I have been… um, 'spending time' together… if you get what I mean."

It takes Kate a few seconds to understand what I'm trying to say. When she does, she blushes lightly. "Oh…"

Too late to back out now, I press on. "Yeah, oh. It just kind of… happened. Nothing official or anything, just an 'as and when we need' arrangement. I guess she's feeling jealous or something because I get on so well with you."

"She does seem like the jealous type…" Kate agrees as she gathers her thoughts.

Guilt floods me as I look her straight in the eyes. "So, I suppose I've just made your life harder where Victoria is concerned. Sorry about that…"

Kate shakes her head and takes my hands in hers. "Max, don't blame yourself. You helped me and I think you'll be a good influence on her."

"I'm not really a great moral mentor or anything." Over the years, I have done a lot of things I'm not proud of… hurt people I was supposed to care about.

"I don't know, you always help me when I need it," Kate mentions gratefully. "Even if it gets you in trouble. You know what is right and strive to defend it."

For a second, I almost believe her even though I know better. "Thanks for the faith, Kate. Even if I don't think the same way, I'm glad to hear that you have a high opinion of me."

"Of course I do." She smiles at me warmly, making all the doubt and worry disappear. For a few minutes, I want to humor her. Kid myself that I am a good person... that I haven't screwed people over who didn't deserve it in the past. That I'm the same Max as I was before leaving Arcadia Bay for Seattle. It's not true, but… just for now, I want to pretend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Victoria be able to overcome her pride and apologise? Find out next time. On a different note, I will get around to doing that Chasefield Actors AU I've had planned for like a year. Probably once this story is wrapped up (which should be around ten chapters, I think). Have a great day and see you next time.


	7. Reconciliation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. I got this written up quicker than anticipated, so thought I might as well release it. So, this chapter will unveil a bit more of Max's past… which might be a little on the sad side for part of the chapter.

**Chapter Seven: Reconciliation**

**The Next Day - Victoria's POV - Victoria's Room**

True to her word, Max has been ignoring me so far. It's been under twenty four hours since she caught me laying into Kate and it's all I could think about. No sleep for me. I do genuinely feel bad for doing it. It's not her fault. The words just came out before I could stop them. _I'm such a bitch…_ I sigh deeply, leaning back in my desk chair and staring at the ceiling, letting my hand dangle limply by my side. I know what I have to do to make this right, or at least to try to. The problem is pride. I am notoriously bad at admitting my mistakes. _Just ask Taylor or Courtney to testify to that._ Can I keep going through my life acting like a spoiled brat? If I do that, then people will start getting bored of me… just like Max. That thought makes me feel awful. I don't want to be alone, I want people to like me, so I get jealous and possessive when I have someone's attention. Anything not to be ignored, even if it's for a bad reason. The longer I leave things as they are, the harder it'll be.

Decisively, I stand up and stride out of my room. _First things first, apologise to Kate. Then patch things up with Max and pull yourself together._ I knock on her door confidently, not sure what I'm going to say. All I have to do is not fuck it up, just keep my cool.

" V-Victoria?" Kate looks surprised, and a little scared, by my presence as she answers the door.

The jealousy bubbles up inside me again, venomous words on the tip of my tongue, but I push them back. "I just came to say that… I'm sorry for what I said. It was wrong of me."

If I thought Kate was surprised before, that was nothing compared to now. After her moment of disbelief she offers me a small smile. "Apology accepted."

"Just like that? No shouting or making me feel guilty?" If it had been me… I wouldn't be able to forgive someone just like that.

"I think you genuinely mean it, so there's no need to ask for more," she clarifies.

Still confused, I do my best not to show it. "Maybe you really are a saint."

That actually makes her laugh. "I wouldn't go that far…"

"I'll do my best not to pick on you anymore. Or anyone, for that matter. Old habits die hard, but… I'll make an effort." Something has to change, so why not start now? Very few people have said no to me in the past because of my position. Having Max react so adversely to my behavior gave me a lot to think about.

Kate smiles at me warmly. "That's all I can ask for."

With the apology received, we part ways. Not wanting to face Max right now, I return to my room, take out my phone and drop her a text. I don't want her thinking that I apologized just so I could get sex. If I go to her, that's what it'll look like. That's not it at all. I genuinely feel bad for what I did. Hopefully, Max can forgive me just as Kate did.

 **Victoria:** **Just so you know, I apologized**

No answer… _I was hoping that she might send something back, even…_ My trail of thought is interrupted when someone knocks on the door. The knock pattern sounds familiar, if a little hesitant. I get up off my bed and walk over to the door, opening it. As expected, Max is stood there.

"Can I come in?" I step aside to let her in, closing the door behind her. She makes her way over to my bed and sits down. "So, you made up with Kate then."

"I did. You can go ask her." _I wouldn't blame Max if she didn't believe me. I wouldn't believe me..._

She shakes her head. "I don't have to do that. I trust you… look, I'm sorry I got snappy with you before…"

I wave away her apology as I join her on the bed. "Don't worry about it. Turns out, I needed a kick up the ass."

Max places her hand over mine, offering a sad smile. "I'm proud of you. It's not easy admitting you did something bad. Even harder to apologize… I should know."

"What do you mean?" I ask, watching her expression become more and more troubled.

After some time, she cautiously continues. "When I was in Seattle, I made a lot of mistakes. My biggest one… well, I was a real asshole. There was this girl, friendly, kind, loyal… she reminds me a bit of Kate actually. I… did something _really_ bad to her. Something I can't forgive myself for."

Realizing that I am going to hear more about Max's past, I gently prompt her. "What did you do?"

She swallows hard, preparing herself. "You know I said I got in with the wrong crowd… well, that's part of it. This girl and I shared a few class and we got talking. Actually, we hit it off almost the second we started talking to each other. I took a liking to her and she seemed to really like me for some reason. Don't know why," she lets out a small sigh before continuing. "So, as time passed, we got close. Real close. Not sex close, but we kissed and stuff. She was kind of nervous about the whole physical side, I was a bit too, so we decided to take it slow. It was our first proper relationship. We were both happy, really happy."

Judging by Max's expression and the way she has mentioned Seattle in the past, this story doesn't have a happy ending. "I'm guessing it didn't last."

"Right," she nods stiffly, "because I fucked it all up. These people I got caught up with… imagine Vortex Club but _way_ worse. During one of their parties, I got super wasted, not an excuse, and… cheated on her. Big time. She found out from someone else trying to stir shit. I don't think I'll ever forget that look she gave me when she confronted me. Even then, I didn't admit it. I couldn't. Fuck, I couldn't even say sorry. She wasn't even mad, just disappointed… which was so much worse. Things just… went downhill from there. Everything felt numb and there wasn't much I could do to get out of the hole I'd dug for myself."

This wasn't quite what I had been expecting to hear now. It explains a lot, I think. Why Max sometimes seems so distant, easy to anger and protective of Kate.

Her confession hasn't finished just yet. "Wanna know the worst thing? She ended up getting roped into the bad crowd too. She wasn't the same after… you know, we actually hooked up multiple times while in that fucking club. I guess she'd gone past the point of caring. Anything to feel something. Maybe she wanted to rekindle what we had somehow… I don't know." For the first time since we started this arrangement Max looks vulnerable, maybe a little scared and lost too. "It hurt because… I still loved her, but I could tell that she didn't really love me anymore. Or at least, she was trying not to. Such a fucking mess..."

I want to give her a hug, tell her everything will be okay, but I sense that she isn't quite finished. It better to let her get it all out first. Then I can worry about comforting her.

Exhaling deeply, she looks me directly in the eyes. "I guess that's why I got so angry at you about Kate. People like that girl and Kate, they break easily. They trust people so much, would follow you anywhere and do anything almost for you… then, they get fucked over and it changes them. I don't want that to happen to anyone ever again. Not if I can help it." The intense atmosphere fades slightly as she leans back against, her voice low. "Well shit, that got depressing."

"Thanks for trusting me enough to tell me," now it's time to try and cheer her up. I don't think she's in the mood for sex, but there is something else I can do equally as effective. "I have something to might just cheer you up…"

Max's expression shifts to curiosity. "Now this I have to see."

"You won't be seeing much. Close your eyes," I demand firmly.

"Okay, but if I end up with a permanent marker mustache… I won't go easy on you." Max gradually closes her eyes, waiting with bated breath to see what I'm going to do next.

When she has finally closed her eyes, I lean in and begin kissing her. Mostly, this is an attempt on my part to comfort her. Anything to make the pain disappear from her eyes. Almost immediately, she realizes what I'm up to and kisses me back. Unlike other times, she seems more passive, letting me lead. As much as I like her more aggressive, confident side, I could definitely get used to this side of Max.

* * *

**Four Days Later**

It's been a few days since the Kate incident and Max has been more withdrawn. I guess she needs time to process everything. She might act like nothing fazes her, but that's just for show. I would know better than anyone… it's best just to leave her to it. She'll come when she's ready. Hopefully, she won't take _too_ long. It's been about a week and a half since we've had sex or done anything remotely sexual… _not that I'm counting_. It's strange, before Max came along I wasn't all that bothered about it. Now is different. I've tried ignoring it, dealing with it myself, but it's just not the same. Not enough.

Just when I am about to resign myself to fate, I decide to take a shower. It might help me take my mind off things… for a minute. Grabbing my shampoo and gel, I make my way over to the door. When I open the door, I am surprised to see Max outside just about to knock. All those feelings I was trying to ignore come back with a vengeance.

"Hey, good timing. You free now?" Max looks down at my shower supplies, a slight smirk tugging at her lips as an idea forms in her eyes. "Mind if I join you?"

Now there's an idea. "You do like to play with fire, Caulfield."

"Why else would I keep coming back to you?" she asks amusedly, her eyes holding a familiar glint. Showering isn't all she has in mind...

"Touche," there is a huge risk that we'll get caught… but that only heightens my desire to follow through. "Just this once, I'll allow it."

"Sure you will." Max smirks as she follows me towards the shower room. I go in ahead, checking the coast is clear. People will find out about us soon enough, if they haven't already, but it can't hurt to try and prolong the inevitable. Satisfied, I motion for Max to come in. She saunters up to me, a seductive grin on her lips. "We'll have to be quiet, can you handle that?"

Kind of annoyed by that question, I respond. "I can handle a lot of things, thanks."

"We'll see." She takes my hand and pulls me into the nearest shower, shutting the curtain behind her.

Slowly, Max begins to undress me, dotting kisses along newly exposed skin. I shudder, making sure to keep my ground and not show any weakness. Before she can get too far, I stop her and grab onto her shirt, not so subtly hinting that I'm not the only one getting naked now. She allows herself a smirk and lets me help her out of her shirt and jeans. It doesn't take long for both of us to remove our remaining clothing and get the shower going.

Deciding to push my luck, I pin her to the wall with my body. Instead of looking angry, Max seems more amused than anything. She looks me straight in the eyes challenge flickering in those blue orbs. "So, just what are you going to do now, hmm…?"

In answer to her question, I kiss her passionately allowing our skin to rub together as the warm water pelts down on us. The multiple sensations are incredible. My body tingles with pleasure as I feel her hands wander along my back, leaving trails of fire where fingertips touch and trace. They continue down to my ass, squeezing lightly and then more firmly. In a sudden turn of events, I find myself pinned to the wall having switched places with her. Before I have the chance to protest, she kisses my neck, her teeth grazing my skin. That immediately shuts down my complaints. My heart is beating so loud right now there is no way Max can't hear it, _feel_ it.

When I feel her fingers dancing their way along my inner thigh, I give up all possibility of regaining dominance. She teases me, getting close and then retreating just a little. It takes a lot of effort to stop myself from whimpering at the disappointing withdrawal.

Clearly enjoying this, Max leans in close and whispers. "Hmm, you're restraining yourself well so far… shall we test your resolve?"

All I can do is nod, words failing me. Just as Max is about to start, I hear footsteps and another shower turn on. I freeze, uncertain what to do. Sure, I realized this was a possibility but I didn't really prepare myself.

"This should be interesting," Max whispers as her fingers move towards their mark. "Don't you think?"

Not wanting to stop now, I nod. Someone might hear us, but right now I don't care. Smiling to herself, Max inserts her finger where I so desperately want it to be. I stifle a gasp, not wanting to alert the other person in the shower room of what's going on if I can help it. Max starts slow, teasing me with the promise of release. I do my very best to keep in control, biting back small moans of pleasure as she hits particularly sensitive spots.

"Let's step it up, shall we?" Max mentions lowly as she adds another finger into the mix, stepping her her pacing and variety of movement. Despite my best effort, I let out a soft moan. Thankfully, the shower seems to have drown the sound out. This is equal parts exhilarating and scary, but there is no way I want to stop.

She places her lips to my neck, playfully nipping as she continues. My capability to think straight has long since gone, mind hazy with desire. Just when I can't take it anymore, Max kisses me and stifles my cry of pleasure. The coiling pressure in my body sudden releases, leaving me feeling tired yet content. She holds me steady, making sure that I don't collapse to the ground. The overwhelming feeling that has hung over my head for the past week or so has finally been resolved.

"Better?" Max asks after a few seconds have passed us by.

"Much," I manage. She must have noticed how much I wanted this. She smiles and kisses me tenderly, holding me close. I am happy to receive her affection, returning it. _Maybe one day I'll be able to return the favor, make her feel as good as she does me._

Deciding that it's safer to leave separately, I leave first… just in time to bump into Taylor. I'm horrified to realize that she was the other person in the room. "Just the person I wanted to see. We need to have a serious talk," she states, clearly not willing to take no for an answer.

With Max still trapped, I need to get Taylor away from the showers. It slowly dawns on me that the only way to do that is to submit myself to her interrogation. Reluctantly, I agree and follow her out of the room. Hopefully, I will manage to survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, another chapter down. See you next time.


	8. Destination Unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. As a heads up, this will be the last chapter. Sorry it's a little sudden. Considering this was just gonna be a one-shot, it hasn't done too badly to get to 8 chapters.

**Chapter Eight: Destination Unknown**

**Victoria's POV**

Taylor leads me out of the shower room, down the hallway to hers. As expected, Courtney is there waiting for us to return. She smiles knowingly at Taylor, making me feel a little uncomfortable. They are clearly planning something and it doesn't take long to find out what.

The very second I have sat down, the interrogation starts off with Courtney posing the first question. "So, what's been going on lately? You've been acting totally weird."

"It's… complicated," I reply, not even knowing where to start. _How can I tell them something so embarrassing?_

"Complicated my ass," Taylor scoffs, unconvinced by my weak attempts at deflecting the question.

"What Taylor means to say is that we're worried about you," Courtney corrects, narrowing her eyes in disapproval. She always was the more tactful one of the pair.

I am quick to reassure them, hoping that it'll get me off the hook. "It's nothing bad, promise."

"Then what _is_ it?" Taylor insists, not willing to back down. She's not the only one. While Courtney's approach is less direct, I can tell she won't stop until I've given in and told them. _So much for secrets..._

"Max," I answer simply, swallowing my pride and preparing myself for a further, inevitable onslaught of questions.

"What as in Maxine Caulfield, number one enemy Max?" Taylor presses, seeming a bit confused by this revelation.

"Yes, that Max," I confirm, already regretting starting this conversation now. _Too late for that..._

"What has she done?" Courtney asked, concern lining her face. If it had been anyone other than her or Taylor asking me this, I might lash out at them. I can see that they really care and want to make sure I'm okay. _Time to start being more honest with them… and myself._

I begin to painfully explain my circumstances, starting right at the beginning. Retelling it all is so surreal and embarrassing. How all this between Max and I started and progressed until this day. I leave out a lot of the intimate details, finding this embarrassing enough to talk about. Taylor and Courtney sit there, listening patiently for me to finish. Every so often they glance at one another, conveying some non-verbal message. That is enough to put me on edge.

When I finish, they exchange small smiles before Courtney turns to me. "We had a feeling something like this was happening."

That confuses me. "Wait… how?"

"You aren't as subtle as you think you are… and walls at Blackwell are pretty thin," I must look like I want to murder someone, because Taylor immediately begins to backtrack. "Kidding."

"Where is this all going between you two?" Courtney pressed gently, getting back to the heart of the topic once more.

 _That is a good question._ "I… honestly don't know."

Noting my silence, Courtney doesn't press further. "Well, thanks for telling us. We were getting worried something really bad had happened."

"You aren't exactly forthcoming with your emotions," Taylor adds with a knowing smirk.

I opened my mouth to protest, realizing that she has a point half way through. "I guess…"

Taylor's smirk only widens. "I think that's the closest you've ever come to admitting I was right."

"Definitely," Courtney agrees cheekily.

"You guys are so dead!" I cry, grabbing a pillow and hitting them relentlessly. They cower, giggling at my outrage. I'm lucky to have friends like them. Still… the conversation has put a seed of doubt in my mind. Just where _are_ things going with Max and I? Maybe I'm too scared to ask...

* * *

**A Few Days Later - Max's POV - Chloe's House**

Chloe and I are chilling out in her room, smoking as usual. Before Seattle, I would have never even tried, but time has a way of changing people. For better or worse. _Probably worse in my case._ The old me was more reserved and shy, nothing like how I am now. If I want something now, I take it. Simple as. Other people's opinions of me don't matter, at least from a stranger's perspective. I do care about what people like Kate and Chloe think of me… maybe Victoria a little too, more than I used to. Thanks to my appalling track record of 'relationships', I tend to keep them separate from deep emotional connections. Less people get hurt that way when things don't work out or someone fucks up big time. _Like me…_

It's not like I'm against forming a deeper connection per say, it's just that in my experience it never seems to work out for one reason or another. As soon as sex is involved, things get messy. Maybe one day I can get over that mindset. For now, I'll just have fun and try not to hurt anyone else with reckless behavior. _Small steps..._

"So, have you and the fiery temptress made up yet?" Chloe asks as she passes me the half smoked joint.

I take it from her and bring it to my lips. "We did, yes."

She turns her head to grin at me broadly. "I can only imagine how…"

"Whatever you're thinking… probably not too far wrong." Talking with Chloe always puts things in perspective and helps to take my mind off things. There's been a lot of drama recently and I need a break from it all.

"See, I know everything. Maybe _I_ should get you pissed off more often." Chloe winks at me suggestively, only half-joking.

I blow out the smoke, letting it billow around me as I smirk. "Then you'll get a lot more bruises."

"That rough, huh?" she ask while playfully nudging my shoulder.

"You are impossible. That's _not_ what I meant and you know it." I visible roll my eyes at her as I pass back the joint. To be honest, if it wasn't for Victoria I might actually take my teasing up a notch to test Chloe. But… I don't want to start something I can't finish and make things super complicated for everyone. _I don't need another mistake to add to the long list..._

"Hey, I'm not gonna judge all the kinky shit you're into… except I totally am." She grins cheekily at me. "Can't be any worse than Rachel, though."

Seeing a chance to change the subject, I take it. "I would say that was too much information, but now I'm curious. You've grilled me about my 'love life', so how about I return the favor?"

Chloe's grin only widens, the flicker of mischief in her eyes rapidly increasing. "If you think you can handle it. There is a reason I only see her once every couple months… recovery time."

"On second thoughts, I retract that line of inquiry," I interject. Knowing Chloe, she'll make it ten times more embarrassing than it really is just to get a reaction out of me. _Best not to give her the chance._

She chuckles at my protests, placing the joint stub in her ashtray. "You are just too easy to tease sometimes. Not as much as before, but still enough."

 _Of course Chloe would focus on her ability to tease me still._ "At least I can fight back now."

"Not so good for me," Chloe sighs melodramatically. "I already have Rachel if I want to get my ass handed to me… in more ways than one."

"Guess you'll just have to get used to it, huh?" I mention with a smirk. "All those years of childhood teasing have come to bite you in the ass. Karma."

Chloe shakes her head, sounding dejected. "You are so cruel to me, you know that?"

Capitalizing on my advantage, I continue my playful teasing. "I could be crueller."

"Yeah, I bet you could if you tried. I don't want to evoke the merciless devil in you, thanks." She turns to me with an almost sympathetic expression. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but… maybe I feel a little sorry for Victoria dealing with such a sadist like you."

"Says you." I shove her shoulder hard.

Chloe chuckles at my indignant behavior. "See, that's _exactly_ what I'm talking about."

As always, I can never win in an argument against Chloe Price.

* * *

**A Week Later - Victoria's POV**

During photography class today, I swear I catch Max staring at me. Of course, I don't want to make it too obvious that I'm staring at her too, so I can't tell for sure. I can feel her eyes on me, though. It's very distracting to say the least. Doing my best to focus, I stare straight down at my notebook, Mr. Jefferson's lecture going right over my head. Thankfully, the bell soom rings and class ends. As I pack, I sneak a sideways glance in Max's directly, catching her eye. She gives a smug smirk, raising an eyebrow suggestively. It's pretty obvious what she wants and I'm not going to object.

There is a tense atmosphere hanging between us as we walk back to the dorm building, not exchanging a single word. With each step I get more worked up, eager to get back quickly. From the increased pace, Max does too. Checking that nobody is around, I follow her into her room and am immediately descended on. She pushes me against the door, pinning me. Her eyes flash with longing as she goes in for a kiss, the look giving me shivers. I pull her closer, needing more. _It's never enough._

I feel her tongue against mine, hands beginning to wander and tug impatiently at clothing. Clumsily, we undress one another, hungry for the contact. Small flickers of doubt enter my head, echoing questions that have plagued me all week. _Where are things going between us?_ I push past them, determined to just enjoy this and not make it too complicated. For a while, it works.

We fall back on the bed, touching and kissing everywhere we possibly can. Her fingers trace my skin, leaving faint red marks. The sensation overwhelms me, my body begging for more. She grants my wish slowly, refraining from giving me the release I need in favor of teasing me. That is something my body protests yet equally can't get enough off. It's a strange, intoxicating feeling. The moans, growing louder with each increase of pleasure, softly echo around the room and seem to spur Max on. She seems to know my sensitive spots now, memorized them from our previous encounters.

It doesn't take long for the doubt to come back, making it almost impossible to enjoy myself.

"What's wrong?" Max asks as she stops her passionate assault, obviously picking up on my internal debate.

Hesitating for a moment before deciding to stop torturing myself, I finally voice the question. "This is going to sound totally stupid, but… where is this, us, going?"

The question catches Max off guard, her expression soon turning contemplative. "Honestly, I don't know. Does it really matter? As long as we're both happy to keep going, then that's enough for now. We can worry about definitions later if you really want. You are still fine with this, right?"

"Yes…" I catch myself too late, realizing I answered much too quickly. "I mean, sure it's fine, I guess." Maybe I'm being a little hasty trying to label things. _Insecurity wins yet again..._

"Good. I'd be a little disappointed otherwise." Max's voice is low as she leans in and kisses me again, gently at first, then more passionately. Maybe this is her way of reassuring me. Action speak much louder than words. She definitely puts that concept into practice now, making me shiver when she touches me with just the right amount of pressure, my body feeling like it's on fire. Our eyes connect for just a second during the throes of passion, hiding nothing from one another. About as honest and vulnerable as we can get. More telling than words ever could be.

That is when I realize, maybe it doesn't matter about the destination or how long it lasts... so long as you enjoy the ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah thanks for reading and hope to see you in another story.

**Author's Note:**

> So, there is the first chapter. I think this should be an interesting one to write and hopefully read. I mean, antagonistic relationships are a fanfic staple. See you next time.


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